Things to do in August 2019 in Singapore
Image adapted from: @splatpainthouse, @splatpainthouse
Our nation is turning a year older this month, and if you’ve been in town lately, you’d probably have seen our Air Force’s aircraft zooming across the sky during NDP rehearsals or even been lucky enough to catch a glimpse of fireworks going off at night.
But other than National Day festivities, there are loads of other events to celebrate August with including art exhibitions, flea markets, and theatre performances. These are the best ones to watch out for:
1. Go on a shopping spree and join craft workshops at Carouselland
Get a watercolour portrait of yourself done by lightlines.co
Image credit: @lightlines.co
Carouselland is basically the best of the shopping app Carousell brought together in one physical space. Instead of scrolling endlessly through the app for the products you want, head down to view a range of fashion, home decor, handmade items and more in person.
Succulents from lushnplush
Image credit: @lushnplush
The featured vendors are some of the more established ones in the virtual marketplace – some have thousands of followers and loads of positive reviews, so it’s safe to say you won’t have to worry about whether they’re legit. Do be considerate and resist the urge to “nego”, though.
Join melattempts’ basic calligraphy workshop
Image credit: @melattempts
There will also be craft, photography, and wellness workshops held by those from the Carousell community, as well as 7 dedicated photo spots to strike a pose at.
Date and time: 16th August 2019, 5PM-9PM | 17th – 18th August 2019, 12PM-9PM
Venue: Marina Bay Sands Hall A & B
Price: FREE (Charges to workshops apply)
2. Admire neon light installations at Singapore Night Festival
Image credit: @sgnightfest
Singapore Night Festival is back with a new host of mesmerising neon light installations in the museum districts of Bras Basah and Bugis. As usual, you can expect light projections on facades of heritage buildings like the National Museum, as well as arts-related programmes covering music, dance, and theatre.
Image credit: @sgnightfest
You can also look forward to a light painting photography workshop held in conjunction with Explore Singapore, where you’ll learn how to enhance your night photos with beautiful light streaks sans Photoshop.
Image credit: @sgnightfest
Note: Pictures here are from last year’s event, included for illustration purposes only.
Date: 23rd – 31st August 2019
Time: 7.30PM-12AM
Venue: Bras Basah and Bugis
Price: FREE (Charges apply for selected programmes)
3. Get free traditional ice cream and play old-school games at Gai Gai Carnival
Image credit: Suntec City
Go back to the good old days at Suntec City’s locally-themed Gai Gai Carnival, with traditional tidbits like kacang putih and muah chee, as well as old-school games like Five Stones and chapteh.
Image credit: Suntec City
The best part is that some of these are completely FOC – have fun bouncing around on a kueh kueh inflatable slide, and challenge your pals to a game of giant Snakes & Ladders or Pick-Up Sticks at no cost. Another highlight is the Old School Biscuit Stall, where you’ll get to fill a bag with as many traditional snacks as you can for just $2!
Image credit: @stopandsmellthewafflecones
Keep your eyes peeled for the event ambassadors walking around, and redeem a coupon for free traditional rainbow bread or wafer ice cream!
Date: 2nd – 4th August 2019
Time: 12PM-9PM
Venue: Suntec City, East Wing Level 1 (Near Promenade MRT Station Exit C)
Price: FREE (Charges for selected food and games apply)
4. Shoot paint on canvas using squirt guns at Splat Paint House
Image credit: @splatpainthouse
We’re familiar with art jamming, which is supposed to provide a form of therapy through painting. But for those who are less-than-artistic, the pressure to create something perfect can be more stressful than anything.
Splat Paint House, Singapore’s first splatter paint studio, is here to change that – paintings here are intentionally messy and instead of carefully detailing your artwork, you’ll be going wild flicking paint on a canvas, smearing it on with your hands, or even using a squirt gun to create random streaks. There are truly no boundaries!
Image credit: @splatpainthouse
Don’t worry about getting dirty, because you’ll be given a protective jumpsuit and showercap. If the paint does get on your hair somehow, fret not as its easily washable.
Date: Until 28th October 2019
Time: Mon – Fri 3PM-9PM | Sat – Sun & PH 11AM-10PM
Venue: 451 Joo Chiat Road, #02-08 Mox, Singapore 427664
Price: From $30. View their full list of packages here.
5. Rock out with live bands for free at Baybeats
Image credit: Esplanade
It’s not often that you get to attend a music festival for absolutely free, but Baybeats makes live music accessible for everyone. The 3-day event will feature performances from over 30 music artistes, both homegrown and from neighbouring countries, with emphasis on budding bands hoping to break out into the scene.
Local singer-songwriter LEW will be taking the stage on Day 1 of the festival
Image credit: @lewloh
The first night concludes with EMONIGHTSG, a themed party with familiar tunes from those angst-ridden younger days.
Date: 23 – 25 August 2019
Time: 6PM till late. Find the full schedule here.
Venue: Esplanade
Price: FREE. Find the line-up here.
6. Enter a world of all things inflatable at Floating Utopias
It’s all about inflatable objects at ArtScience Museum’s Floating Utopias exhibition, so expect lots of larger-than-life, bouncy installations that fill up the whole room. These exhibits show how inflatables have been created and used over time, such as the invention of the hot air balloon, or as an aid in architectural design.
The most eye-catching one is Somehow I Don’t Feel Comfortable, a pair of giant, neon pink bunnies by Japanese artist Momoyu Torimitsu. In enlarging what’s supposed to be small and cute, she makes them slightly disturbing, causing you to rethink things and look at them from a different perspective.
Museum of the Moon, a suspended ball which looks just like the moon
Date: Until 29th September 2019
Time: 10AM – 7PM (Last admission at 6PM)
Venue: ArtScience Museum
Price: $15 for local adults
7. Pore over a novel at a book cafe
Cook & Tras Social Library
Image credit: @cookandtras
E-books may be convenient and less clunky than physical books, but nothing beats the feeling of curling up in a couch with a good ol’ paperback. Fall in love with reading the old-school way all over again in one of the many cosy book cafes in Singapore. All of them are conveniently located in town, so pop by for an afternoon of good reads and yummy nosh.
Looksee Looksee
Image credit: The Lo & Behold Group
Find out more about these cafes in our article here.
8. Admire a vintage Barbie collection at MINT Museum’s Journey of a Toy Collector exhibition
Image credit: @mintmuseumoftoys
Singaporean Jian Yang is one of the world’s largest Barbie Doll collectors with over 9,000 dolls from all over the world to his name at present. To share his love for dolls, he’s put part of his personal collection up for viewing at the MINT Museum in his first exhibition, Journey of A Toy Collector #GUYSandDOLLS.
Image credit: @liuyinngg.barbie
You’ll be able to spot vintage versions of the fashion doll, including Malibu Barbie and the ones in the iconic black and white one-piece swimsuits.
Read more about Jian Yang and other Singaporean collectors in our article here.
Date: Until 15th September 2019
Time: 9.30AM-6.30PM
Venue: MINT Museum of Toys, Level 3
Price: $20. Book your tickets here.
9. Pick up some dance moves with da:ns festival’s Footwork workshops
Image credit: Esplanade
It’s never too late to pick up a new skill, and if you’ve always wanted to learn how to dance, now’s your chance. As part of Esplanade’s da:ns festival, there will be a series of Footwork dance workshops conducted by dance studios for a very affordable $15 per class. Genres include the usual Ballet, Hip Hop, and Breakdancing, but there are also more exotic ones like Bachata, Argentine Tango, and Tahitian Dance.
To add a little extra spark to your relationship, sign up for a couple class (labelled “Date Night”) with your partner and sizzle it up on the dance floor as you learn how to coordinate your steps and be in sync with each other.
Image credit: Esplanade
Other classes for kids and seniors are available and can be found here.
Date: Saturdays and Sundays from 3rd August – 29th September 2019
Time: 2PM, 4PM, 6PM, 8PM
Venue: Esplanade Rehearsal Studio
Price: $15. Book your tickets here (tickets for classes marked “Date Night” are sold in pairs)
10. Slip into an alternate universe with VR and AR games
At Headrock VR, Singapore’s first VR themepark
If you’re looking for a more immersive gaming experience than your usual video consoles can give, try your hand at some virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) games which blur the lines between what’s real and what might otherwise be a figment of your imagination.
There are plenty of gaming centres which offer VR and AR games which will have you shooting zombies, time travelling, and even defying gravity in realistic virtual landscapes.
Find out more about where to play VR and AR games in our article here.
11. Laugh out loud at Hossan-AH 50! Love You LEONG Time!
Image credit: @hossanleong
Hard to tell with his youthful looks and playful demeanour, but veteran actor Hossan Leong is turning 50 this year – and to celebrate, he’s holding a solo show, Hossan-AH 50! Love You LEONG Time! Chuckle hard as the funnyman pokes fun at issues relevant to SIngaporeans in a medley of comedy and music.
If his promotional photos on Instagram are anything to go by, you might just hear him belt a Disney Princess tune or two.
Date: Until 31st August 2019
Time: Tue – Fri 8PM | Sat and Sun 3PM, 8PM
Venue: Drama Centre Theatre
Price: From $55. Book your tickets here.
12. Feast on barbecued durian and grilled meat at Sentosa GrillFest
It’s hard to resist anything barbequed or grilled, but holding a cookout can be a hassle and you’ll have that smoky scent sticking to your clothes. At Sentosa GrillFest, you get a galore all things grilled – including durian, yes, grilled durian – from a 1km stretch of food stalls.
Lobster Hokkien Noodles ($18) by One Faber Group
The payment mode for this event is via Ez-Link so you won’t have to grapple with change while your hands are full with food – just tap and go!
Make sure you try Brewerkz’s Siloso Saison Blanc ($10), a smooth craft beer flavour exclusive to the event.
Date: 2nd – 4th, 9th – 12th August 2019
Time: 4PM-11PM
Venue: Siloso Beach, Sentosa
Price: FREE (charges to individual food items apply)
13. Support local brands at Singapasar
Embroidered ear studs by inezdesigns, featuring locally-inspired motifs like durians, chendol, marbles, and our national flag
Image credit: @inezdesigns
Just in time to fuel the National Day spirit is Singapasar – an indoor market that celebrates our Singaporean identity with wares such as handcrafted items, accessories, books, and food by local entrepreneurs.
Image credit: @thefarmstore.sg
Date and time: 2nd August 2019, 4PM-9PM | 3rd – 4th August 2019, 11AM-9PM
Venue: National Design Centre, Level 1 Atrium and Gallery 1
Price: FREE
14. Try brunch dishes and coffee from 10 cafes from abroad at Cafe Culture
Brunch dishes from Roast
Image credit: @misstiffany.c
Cafe Culture celebrates the best of, well, cafe culture from all over the world – coffee, brunch nosh, and bakes from different countries are brought into one place for you to sample at one go. From Melbourne’s Lune Croissanterie to Bangkok’s Roast and Copenhagen’s Coffee Collective, there will be 10 eateries to choose from – so make sure you save enough stomach space to try a little of everything!
Croissants from Lune
Image credit: @toot12345_eric
A day pass comes with $42 worth of food vouchers to use at the event. Mega foodies in for multiple days of feasting can purchase a 4-day pass.
Date: 29th August – 1st September 2019
Venue: Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre, Level 1, Hall C
Price: From $45 for early bird, from $55 for standard online purchases.
15. Pick up refurbished vintage home decor pieces from secondhand furniture shops
Image credit: Hock Siong & Co.
Old is gold, and decking out your home with secondhand furniture can bring a certain quaint flavour that you won’t be able to get with furniture from contemporary stores. Don’t balk at the thought of buying someone else’s pre-loved pieces for your spanking new BTO, because many of these items have been carefully refurbished and look almost as good as new. Who knows, you might just score some rare treasures dating back to the 1920s.
It’s also a more eco-friendly way of decorating your home, as it helps cut down on waste.
Find out more about these secondhand furniture stores in our article here.
16. Catch RuPaul drag star Alaska’s first live show in Singapore
Image credit: @theonlyalaska5000 / @the.elle
Perhaps 10 years ago we’d never have expected world-renowned drag queens to be openly performing in conservative Singapore, but hey, it’s 2019, and here we are! Fans of RuPaul’s Drag Race would be familiar with the name Alaska 5000, the winner of the second season of RuPaul’s All Stars. She will be putting up a show in Singapore for the first time for one night only, and you can expect lots of banter and some catchy tunes.
Note that this show is rated R18 as there are likely to be dirty jokes told. Not for the faint-hearted!
Date: 27th August 2019
Time: 8PM
Venue: Shine Auditorium
Price: From $98. Book your tickets here.
17. Cop brand new and pre-loved items for cheap at Flea For Good
Image credit: @alletsoap
Like with any other flea market, Flea For Good is a chapalang of small stalls selling all sorts of knick knacks, accessories and clothes for cheap – both pre-loved and brand new. But the difference is that part of the proceeds from each booth rental goes to charity, so in supporting the event and its vendors, you’re indirectly supporting a good cause as well.
Image credit: Flea For Good
Date: 17th – 18th August 2019
Time: 12PM-9PM
Venue: City Square Mall, Basement 1
Price: FREE
18. Save the earth in style with sustainable clothing
Reversible swimwear from Ubu Swimwear, made from waste products like fishing nets
Image credit: @ubuswimwear
Global warming is real, and the world is only getting warmer as we speak. Do your part in helping to save the Earth by veering away from fast fashion – which results in water pollution and waste materials – and opt for sustainable clothing instead.
There are a growing number of brands that make their togs the eco-friendly way, from recycled and biodegradable materials such as wood pulp fibres, waste plastic, and leftover textiles.
Find out more about these sustainable clothing brands here.
Events in August 2019
Now don’t you dare say that there’s nothing to do in Singapore – there are always new happenings in our little red dot, many of which are free-of-charge! For this month in particular, there are more than enough events to tide you over for the whole long weekend spanning through National Day and Hari Raya Haji, and then some.